Railway tie



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l ily May 15, 1928.

' E. H. BELL ET AL RAILWAY TIE Filed Nov. 25, 1927 wz ephen 9g/ce.- y mim E. H. BELL ET AL May 15, 192s.

RAILWAY TIE '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1927 Parental May. 15, 192s.

fuNllT/ED STATES `Partner OFFICE.

l EDWIN" E. vBELL `ANI) STEPHEN BOYCE, OF CHCAGO, ILLINOIS.

"Runway mm.

application med November 2s, 1927. serial no.' 235,264.

This invention relates to railwa Y track devices and more particularly to arai way tie having its top surface initially formed or .shaped to be complemental to the shape of the tie plates intended to'be seated thereon, or lpre-shaped to' receive only certain portions lof plates whose bottom surfaces are designed to co-operate'with the preshaped tie tol effect comparatively speedy and etlicient ultimate seating. The object of the invention is to secure imtially correct and prompt seating of the plate on the `tie and compression of' tie fibres `ad- 'acent 'the preshaped areas, and to avoid reaking down of fibres of the wooden tie and consequent deterioration thereof.

` placed on top of the flat tie in position'to the ultimate bearing surface of the plate to receive the rail,1and both rail and tie plate are secured to the tie by means of spikes of conventional type. Train-loads passing over the rails are relied upon to cause those parts or projections lying in a plane below gradually enter the tie and produce ultimate seating of the plate thereon,

The time and load required to produce complete'seating of plates on flat top ties is varied according to the class of timber used for the ties. Obviouslythe seating in socalled hard wood ties is somewhat retarded, particularly if projections on the tie plate bottom are at right angles to the grain of the timber. In ties of softer wood the seating is relatively rapid. The mixing of hard and soft wood ties in the average track construction is a common practice and the resultant variation in time of seat-ing of plates naturally roduces irregularities of the rail surface, w ich greatly affect the smoothness or riding quality. ofthe track. `K nots and hard spots in the wood ties also contribute vto the non-uniformity.

Another disadvantage growing out of present methods is that the slow seating of tie plates on hard wood ties permits gravel,

dirt and other foreign matter to accumulate a standard coned wheel, the angular application of load on the rail results in horizontal as Well as vertical thrust. The eHect of the horizontal thrust is intensified while, tie plate seating is taking placeand when the plates are improperly and non-uniformly seated. The horizontal load or so-called thrust transmitted from rail base to abutting shoulder of tie plate under these conditions causes the plate to ultimately become seated out of` alignment or in a position producing widening of the gauge of the track. A.Varia- -tions between the sizes of punched spike i holes and ofthe ordinary track spike, often permit the spiking of tie plates in an angular relation to the rail base so that the plates become seated under influence of horizontal thrust in a position wherein the rail abutting shoulder is not parallel to the rail flange. Plates carelessly ap lied, especially to ties which are low or in so t spots in track,

fre uently result in the transmission of loads to t in portions of the rail base and produce fractures inthe rail flanges.

All these objections are attributable to slow, non-uniform and improper seating of plates on ties. The correction of these conditions is an item of great expense in maintenance of track as it entails the removal of spikes,readjustment of tie plates and respiking to correct gauge positions between rail heads. The damage resulting from projections on improperly seated tie plates to the tie fibres and from replacing spikes is obvious.

`While it is well known that ultimate penetration of the tie by transversely extending projections on the tie plate 'bottom will resist horizontal thrust and maintain a plate in position when onceroperly seated, it is obvious from what has en stated that by.

resent methods a certain time is required `Before 'seating is accomplished on theY at plate position relative to the rail flange and Y those a consequent improper seating, and .for the accumulation of foreign matter which may prevent any ultimate seating; also, that plate projections which are deep and sharp/ will cut and injure the fibres of the tie, andv cause decay.

The tie plate constructions shown in Boyce Letters-Patent Reissue No. 15,989, and Nos. 1,583,773, 1,583,774 and 1,587,751, were especially designed to become efficiently and quickly seated without injurious penetration Relativelyl of the surface of fiat top ties. narrow, initial bearing surfaces androunded tie engaging ribs were provided, with the results that loads were concentrated, initially, on these narrow bearing surfaces, and relatively prompt and correct seating on flat top ties secured without the usual cutting of fibres. The present invention, while contemplating the provision of ties having top surfaces complemental to any bottom design of plate, is also particularly productive of beneficial results when embodied in ties having top surfaces complemental loads to the tie surfaces subjacent the initial bearingsurface of the plate, and com press the said tie while maintaining the intended position of the plate thereon. No undue cutting or breaking down of tie fibres, or disarrangement of plate position, with respect to the rail flanges, are possible. The

.compression of the tie beneath the` initial bearing surfaces, and adjacent the preshaped areas, furnishes a protective veneer to those portions of the tie which have heretofore been subject to deterioration.

The method of shaping or configurating the top surface of the tie is immaterial and' may be varied as desired. It may be ac complished by branding, steaming, pressing, cuttin or molding the materials of that portion 0% the tie intended yto receive the plate.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a part of a tie lembodying-our invention, initially complemental to the tie plate seated thereon.Y

Figure 2 is a view snnilar to Figure 1 with the plate removed from the tie.

Fi ure 3 is a longitudinal, vertical,'sec tiona view of a modified form of tie embodying our invention, and showing in superposed but spaced apart relation, a tie plate such as shown in Figure 1 intended to be seated thereon. l v Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing one end of the tie of Figure 3, with the tie plate in initial position thereon.

Figure 5 is a duplication 'of the parts of Figure 4, but showing the plate ultimately seated on lthe tie.

Figure 6 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view of a portion if a tie embodying vourinvention, the same being initially complemental to the under surface of the modified form of plate shown in section in superposcd, spaced apart relation to the tie.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the modified form of tie, and in spaced, superposed relation, a plate such as shown in Figure 6, intended to be seated thereon.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view showing one end of the tie Figure 7, with the tie plate in initial position thereon.

Figure 9 is a duplication of the parts of Figure 8 but showing the plate ultimately seated on the tie.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a portionof a tie embodying another the invention..

Figure 11 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view taken in the plane of the line 11-11, of Figure 10, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows and showing in superposed but spaced apart relation a section of a tie plate intended to be seated thereon.

modification of Figure 12 is a longitudinal, sectional view of a tie embod ing our invention with still another type o plate seated thereon.

Referring now to. that embodiment of our invention shown in Figures" 1 and 2, A indi- (fates a tie initially formed to be complemental to the tie plate B intended `to be seated thereon. It will, of,course, be understood that each tie is adapted to receive two of said tie plates, one near each end, properly spaced apart to conform to the Width of the track. The plate B shown is provided at its top i with the usual rail bearing surfaces 15, rail abutting shoulder 16 and spike holes 17. Its bottom surface is-provided with a central, median, transverse groove or recess 18, and with end recesses 19, 19; Intermediate the end recesses 19 and median portion 18, and extending transversely of the plate, are

downwardly projecting portions 20, eachl provided with a rounded depending rib l21. It is common practiceto run ties through a planerto prepare level surfaces for the re v ception of tie plates. The presha ing about to be described may be accomplis ed in the same operation.` f

The tie A isshaped and configurated near each end to have its top surface correspond to the bottom surface of the tie plate B. On

each side of the surface 22, which extends across the tie,'is a transversely extending groove or recess 23 and the surface of each groove 23 is provided with a groove or recess 24.- At one side of each of the groovesu 23Ais a surface 25 in substantially the same plane as the surface 22.

It Will be understood that lthe plate B will be placed upon the tie A so that the parts 20 with depending ribs 21 will enter the grooves 23 and depressions 24, respectively, and the median' transverse surface 18 of the plate will be supported by the tie surface 22.

If desired, the4 tie may also be provided with holes adapted to register with the spike holes 17 to facilitate the placing of spikes through the plate and into the tie.

In this form,'the tie is initially complemental to the plate 'intended to be used thereon. s

Referring now to Figures 3, 4.and 5, it Will be seen that the plate B'heretofore'described is shown in combination with a modified form of tie indicated at C. The tieC is not initially complemental to the plateB but is preshaped to receive only certain portions of they plate bottom. The flat top surface 26 of the tieC is grooved4 transversely at 27, the grooves being spaced apart so as to register with and be adapted to receive the ribs 21 of thefplate B.' The grooves are preferably of slightly less/depth than the aggregate depth of the bearing members 20 and ribs 21; that is, the distance from the tip of the rib 21 to the plane of the bearing surface 18 is slightly greater than the depth of'the groove 27.

As shown in Figure 4, the plate is placed so that the transverse rib 21 is received in the groove 27 and the initially bearing surfaces 20, 20, rest upon the surfaces 28 of the tie subjacent the bearing surface 20.. Loads transmitted through the rail to the plate B are concentrated on these bearing surfaces 20 and transmitted to the parts 28 of the tie and promptly cause the parts 20 and 21 to assume the position shown in Figure 5, completely filling the groove- 27 .and depressing the Wood libres as indicated by the shading at 29.

In Figure 6, We have shown a tie D, which is initially oomplemental to the vunder surface of the plate E. The plate E is provided With median and end bearing surfaces 30 separated bythickened portions 31 provided with ribs 32. The plate E is adapted to immediately become seated in the complementally shaped top surface of the tie JD,

as has already been explained with respect to the plate B on tie A.

In Figures 7 8 and 9, we have shown thls same plate E in connection with the modified form of tie indicated Vat C in Figures 3, 4 and 5. That is to say, the t1e 1s preshaped to receive the ribs 32 of plate E and to func- Referring to Figures 10 and11, the tie F is similar to the tie A heretofore described in that it is provided with surfaces which have .been designated by the numbers applied to similar parts on tie A, with the exception of the transverse medianA surface. In the 'form now being described, the median portion of the tie F between the surfaces 23 is provided with ,anl undulating surface 33 which is complemental to the compression bottom form of plate indicated at G. 'Itwill be understood that the bottom surface of plate G is complemental to the seat in tie F, and that the series of arcuate depressions 34 of the plate G will 4be seated in the corresponding surface 33 of the tie F.

In Figure 12, a latbottomed platev H provided with ribs is seated in a preshaped tie C, such as heretofore described.

It will be understood that the various forms herein 'shown 'are lmerely illustrative of ties adapted to receive certain types ofy tie plates. Numerous other examples might be shown.

Obviously modifications may be made- 1. A non-metallic railway tie adapted to center and accelerate seating of a tie plate having its top. surface initially cut and shaped to receivedepending portions of the c,

bottom of the tie plate to beseated therein under pressure.

2. Al non-metallic railway tie adapted to los center and accelerate seating of a tie platek t therein under pressure, the top surface of which` is provided with transverse grooves adapted to register with ribs on the bottom surface of the tie plate to be seated thereon.

3. The combination of a railway tie and a 'tie plate, the latter-.having spaced apart, relatively narrow initial bearing surfaces be- 1 tween its ends, transversely of the bottom of said plate, and ribs depending from said initial bearing surfaces, said tie being preshaped to receive said depending ribs and to be compressed adjacent said preshaped parts by the transmission of load through the initial bearing surfaces of the plate on the tie.

4. The combination of a railway tie land a tie plate, the latter having bottom surfaces extending transversely of the plate, in dierent planes, said tie being preshaped to receive certain of said bottom surfaces and adapted to be compressed by transmission of loads through said .other surfaces -to effect ultimate seating of the plate on the 5. As a new article of manufacture, a. nonmetallio railway tie having its top sur- 'iace initially shaped to be complementa] to the shape of the bottom of the tie plate to be seated thereon. 0'

6. As a new article of manufacture,a nonmetallic railway tie having its top surface initially molded or pressed to form a tie plate seattherein. v

7. As a new article of manufacture, a nonmetallic railway tie provided in its top with a plurality of transversely extending surfaces in different planes vto provide a tie plate seat in the tie.

8. As anew article of manufacture, a non- 

